Rajya Sabha proceedings washed out amid opposition protests

Rajya Sabha proceedings washed out amid opposition protests

Melinda Barton
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09 March, 2018, 16:44

The Lok Sabha continued to witness ruckus on the fifth consecutive day on Friday, as members from parties including the TDP and the AIADMK, continued their protests on various issues, prompting the speaker to adjourn the house.

While the TDP demanded special status for Andhra Pradesh, the AIADMK sought immediate setting up of the Cauvery Management Board.

The protests started soon after the House met for the day, and amid the din, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House till 12 p.m., within five minutes after it assembled. Members from the TRS too were seen protesting holding placards.

Members from AIADMK, TDP and YSR Congress were in the Well holding placards.

Amid the noisy scenes, the Speaker first adjourned the House till noon and thereafter for the entire day.

Adsul said Marathi was an ancient language and fulfilled all the criteria for grant of the classical language status and added that Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia have already been given the classical language status.

Earlier, as soon as the House met for the day, the Speaker welcomed a Korean delegation in the House of the People and then read out the obituary references of three former members - Shyama Singh, Bhanu Kumar Shastri and Pramod Panda. However, minister of state for civil aviation Jayant Sinha was present.

On Thursday, on occasion of International Women's Day, Parliament functioned in the upper house when women Rajya Sabha MPs, along with their male counterparts stressed to M Venkaiah Naidu, the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, on the importance to pass the Women's Reservation Bill.

Congress and Left party members were on their feet protesting the incidents of destroying statues of Periyar in Tripura and Vladimir Illyich Lenin in Tripura.

"It is not correct on the part of the Centre to say that the state is not giving accounts of the utilisation of the funds provided by them", Naidu said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said the government is ready for discussion over the issue under relevant rules.

Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien again told the agitating members that the government has agreed to discuss the issues they were raising.